INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana residents who fail or refuse a drug test given
by an employer before they’re hired will soon be unable to claim
unemployment benefits.

The change is one of many resulting from new laws passed by the General
Assembly that take effect Friday.

Department of Workforce Development. Commissioner Mark Everson says the
changes will help ensure that only the truly unemployed receive benefits.

Other circumstances under which people will not be eligible for unemployment
benefits beginning Friday include people who refuse work during any week
when they work on an on-call or as-needed basis.

The new provisions also will make workers employed at a business during a
planned short-term shutdown ineligible for unemployment. Head Start program
employees who are on planned breaks such as summer vacation also will be
ineligible.